Table 1 Core principles of family-centered care according to the American Academy of Pediatrics

1. Respecting each child and his or her family

2. Honoring racial, ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic diversity and its effect on the family’s experience and perception of care

3. Recognizing and building on the strengths of each child and family, even in difficult and challenging situations and respecting different methods of coping

4. Supporting and facilitating choice for the child and family about approaches to care and support

5. Ensuring flexibility in organizational policies, procedures, and provider practices so services can be tailored to the needs, beliefs, and cultural values of each child and family

6. Sharing honest and unbiased information with families on an ongoing basis and in ways they find useful and affirming

7. Providing and/or ensuring formal and informal support (eg, family-to-family support) for the child and parent(s) and/or guardian(s) during pregnancy, childbirth, infancy, childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood

8. Collaborating with families at all levels of health care, in the care of the individual child and in professional education, policy making, and program development

9. Empowering each child and family to discover their own strengths, build confidence, and make choices and decisions about their health